Both sides in labour dispute have been painted unfairly

Teachers. I love them. Especially my daughter, so you know the direction from whence I write.

And I am sure all of us can relive fond memories of “the best years of our lives.” So how can we not feel empathy for these dedicated champions of wisdom that we trust our children with?

It is through this admiration, however, that I have become worried that the fomenting of hostility between the government and teachers will mar our responsibilities as proud citizens of B.C.

I know that we seldom think of public servants as being as noble a profession as teachers, but perhaps it is an unfair conjecture. And now we have branded them as antagonists. Whether they are labeled as Liberal or NDP or BCTF, or have personal names such as Christy or Peter or Jim, every one of us should respect them for their diligence and persistence.

Difficult tasks were foisted on them by a due process through which we have chosen to govern ourselves. They have heavy burdens to carry and are being judged daily by ill-informed armchair critics and baited with innuendo-riddled questions from the media.

I honestly believe that these adversaries do not have personal agendas. They are doing their jobs. They are trying to complete a business transaction. Too many harsh words are being spoken.